Cultivating a Green Legacy
How Green is Green?
We are extremely excited that so much attention is finally being given to climate change and our impact on our natural environment. Spottswoode’s dedication to being “green” began many years ago, and we are elated that many more people and businesses are beginning to adopt environmentally-sensitive practices!
Here at Spottswoode, our commitment to being environmentally-responsible stewards of our estate began in 1985. At that time Tony Soter, our winemaker and vineyard manager, had a great interest in organic farming and introduced the notion to my mother, Mary Novak, who agreed to pursue it. Since then, our enthusiasm for and attention to environmental responsibility has only increased. In 1992 we were certified by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), and today, we find ourselves constantly reviewing and improving our practices, always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to farm sustainably.
Our most recent addition comes in the form of energy use: we have gone solar! Our production facility and many aspects of the Spottswoode estate, from our vineyard well pumps to the tractor shed and pool and electric car, are now 100% powered by solar energy. We are thrilled about this renewable source of energy, but that’s only one part of our conservation efforts. We also use energy-saving light bulbs, keep our heaters and air conditioners at lower and higher settings (respectively), fuel our tractors with bio-diesel, recycle all glass, cardboard and plastic, ship our wine in recycled containers (we aim to eliminate all use of Styrofoam as soon as possible), and use 100% recycled paper for all, from printed materials to paper towels!
It is amazing to consider how a leap of faith into organic farming 23 years ago has led us down this path to environmental stewardship. As a family-owned winery, we have a vested interest in farming our land and stewarding our environment with an eye to the future. The following “Greening Practices” describe all the environmentally-sensitive practices we've incorporated into our land management here at Spottswoode. Over the years we've found our “greening” to be extremely gratifying, and we hope our efforts inspire others to follow suit.
—Beth Novak Milliken, Excerpt from the Spottswoode 2008 Newsletter
